Here's a plant that could make you...well.... vomit!!
It's
cousin, Porteranthus stiputatus will
anyway.

What am I
talking about?? Ipecac, That stuff your
mother gave you by the
spoonful to make you vomit after you ate something you
shouldn't have or had a
stomach ache. So what does this have to do with
gardening??? Ipecac
is made from the roots of Porteranthus.

In any
event, this is a
very cool and very easy to grow native plant.

Around
here, you can
find Porternathus trifoliatus growing wild on steep
roadbanks in part
sunlight to medium shade. It attains an almost
shrublike
stature, although it is definitely a herbaceous
perennial.
Formerly know as Gillenia trifoliata, it will
be a wonderful
addition to your mid border area, as it reaches
a height of 24" -
36". I've pushed the limits from full sun to full
shade and it "keeps on
tickin". I think it's happiest in medium
shade, as the foliage
really gets dark and lustrous.

In mid June
around here, it's
absolutely covered with 1" - 2" whispy white flowers that
persist for weeks.

Easily propagated from cuttings or seeds,
you'll be able to
establish a dramatic colony in short order.

As for
its cousin
Porteranthus stiputatus, the leaves have these
little appendages on
the basal ends called stipules. You can
read more about this species.
A very detailed description of
Porteranthus trifoliatus and the
plants natural history, including a comprehensive
compilation of its uses
by Native Americans.

There
is rumor of a deep pink colored selection, supposedly
selected by Dr. Dick
Lighty, Director Emmeritus of the Mount Cuba Center
for the Study of
Piedment Plants in Greenville, DE. I haven't
confirmed that yet, so
stay tuned.

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